First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 80

  The walk back home is quiet. KK's a warm little weight in my arms, head tucked against my shoulder, her breathing slow and even. Taytum walks beside me, hand on my back, steady like she always is. The cool night air wraps around us, but I don't feel it. I've got everything I need right here.

  Our house glows softly as we walk in. Taytum locks the door behind us while I carry KK down the hall and gently settle her in her bed. She stirs but doesn't wake, just curls tighter into her blanket, clutching the little stuffed fox she's suddenly decided is her favorite.

  When I walk back out, Taytum's already in our bathroom. I hear the water running, the soft clink of bottles, the low hum of music from the little speaker she keeps on the shelf. Something slow. Something warm.

  She's kneeling by the tub when I walk in, testing the water with her hand. She looks up at me and smiles, not that big, bright grin she gives the world. This one's just for me. Soft and steady.

  "Get in," she says. "It's ready."

  I don't argue. My back's tight and my feet ache and there's a baby pressing down on my bladder and lungs all at once. I peel off my clothes, pausing just long enough to run a hand over my belly, over the spot where he kicked earlier like he had something to say. Taytum watches me like I'm made of something precious. I'm still getting used to that.

  I slide into the tub with a quiet sigh. The water is just right. Warm, deep enough to hold me. I settle in, my back against the sloped edge, closing my eyes for a second.

  Then I feel her... Taytum stepping in behind me, her arms circling my waist as she sinks down. Her knees bend on either side of me, her body fitting to mine like we were made for this. Like we do this every day. No rush. No heat. Just us.

  Her hands find my hips, her thumbs brushing slow circles. I melt into her without even thinking.

  "Comfortable?" she murmurs against my shoulder.

  "Too comfortable," I whisper back. "I might fall asleep."

  She chuckles, low in her chest. "That's allowed."

  We sit like that for a long time. The water laps around us gently. Her fingers trace lazy shapes on my stomach, then my thighs. It's not sexual. It's something deeper. Intimate in a way I didn't know I needed. Like she's pouring something into me just by touching me... safety, patience, love.

  She shifts a little and grabs the loofah and body wash, runs it gently across my shoulders, my arms, down my back. Every touch says I got you. You don't have to hold it all alone.

  "You're glowing," she says softly, rinsing my arm.

  "Liar."

  "I'm not. You're... glowing in a way that makes me want to write poems and cry and also knock anyone out who looks at you wrong."

  I laugh. "That sounds hormonal."

  "Definitely." She laughs as she quickly washes herself.

  The water cools eventually, and Taytum helps me out like I'm something worth taking care of. She wraps me in one of our softest towels, the blue one she always says smells like sunshine. We dry off together, quietly, side by side, like this is our normal and maybe it is now.

  In our room, Taytum flips back the covers while I climb in, easing onto my side with a groan.

  "Need anything?" she asks.

  "Just you."

  That gets me a look, soft, all heart and she climbs in behind me, sliding her arm around my waist, settling close.